[Solved] Archlinux Installation: Manual hard disc setup, help needed.

DavidR · 2009-09-17 23:47:18

Hello,

I have been using Linux as an end user since the days when Suse was actually cool. However, during all those years I have only been able to accumulate very little knowledge beyond the daily tasks that can be done through the terminal. The terminal doesn't disturb me. I actually learned bash shell scripting, but when it comes to partitioning it becomes truly intimidating. I am currently writing from Ubuntu Jaunty. I have recently read a comment about Arch and I got very interested. I think that it will be a real chance to get down and dirty and actually learn something about my system. I wouldn't really want to hear any "Why would you want to do that?" sort of replies, they are never constructive. I have set my mind to something and all I require is some help to get there.

I have read the installation guide, and I currently have the impression that I have to either let the installer partition my hard disc, erasing all my data in the process, or to manually manage everything through the kernel. So, manual it is, but I am not really that good with fdisk and the last thing that I would want to do is to mess with my partitions. My current configuration looks like that:
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 1717 13791771 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda2 2457 9729 58420372+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda3 1718 2456 5936017+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda5 2457 4891 19559106 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 4892 7306 19398456 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 7307 9729 19462716 83 Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sdb: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00081dbb

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 99 795186 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb2 * 100 9729 77352975 83 Linux

I want /dev/sda3 to be my root and my boot partition and /dev/sdb1 to be my swap partition. How can I do that without messing up everything? Is there a small list of the commands that I need to write?

Thanks!

David

Last edited by DavidR (2009-09-19 10:31:56)

A Future Pilot · 2009-09-18 02:21:19

check this out: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Win … _Dual_Boot

GParted is great tool!!

also read the Beginners Guide: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide

Also Google "Dual booting Linux and Windows".

Another good link: http://www.linux.com/archive/articles/114157

If that doesn't answer your questions, just post again!!

And Welcome to Arch!!!

A Future Pilot · 2009-09-18 02:23:26

OK, just realized that you already have all the partitions set up...I THINK (I'm not sure, don't do anything until someone else backs me up :-) that you can just run the installer and tell it which partitions to install what on. Then it should only format those partitions. Once again I'm not 100% positive, so wait until someone else backs me up on this :-)

Andrwe · 2009-09-18 02:34:29

If I got you right you want to be /dev/sda3 your root and boot partition, right?

This means it is as easy as A Future Pilot said.

Just run the installer and point root to be /dev/sda3 (you just should make sure before you start the installer that it is the wanted partion. Maybe mount it before starting the installer and have alook if there is something which shouldn't be there. After you are sure it is the partition you want to use unmount it and start the installer and choose.)

Best would be if you let the installer formatting your root partition to make sure it is clean.
Then set swap to /dev/sdb1 and you are finished, because root and boot are the same partition you don't need to set teh boot partition.

perbh · 2009-09-18 03:19:55

ahem ...
I think 5 gigs is too little for the root partition. I know its possible to get away with it - but then you have to be ever so careful in keeping your cache empty. Also there are people putting their pride in using as little as possible to see what they can get away with. If you are new to arch - you may want to experiment and maybe install more than what you actually need.
Just a little example - I had a computer that had not been updated for about 3 months; when I recently did a complete update (pacman -Syu) I had 5 gigs worth of updates - that means 5 gigs in cache and another 5 gigs for installing! Even if I can delete the cache afterwards - it means that during the update I needed 10 gigs.
So - why not use sda5 instead? 19 gigs is more than enough and it will give you more room to experiment if you want to try out (ie install) a lot of different desktops

DavidR · 2009-09-18 07:57:21

perbh wrote:

ahem ...
I think 5 gigs is too little for the root partition. I know its possible to get away with it - but then you have to be ever so careful in keeping your cache empty. Also there are people putting their pride in using as little as possible to see what they can get away with. If you are new to arch - you may want to experiment and maybe install more than what you actually need.
Just a little example - I had a computer that had not been updated for about 3 months; when I recently did a complete update (pacman -Syu) I had 5 gigs worth of updates - that means 5 gigs in cache and another 5 gigs for installing! Even if I can delete the cache afterwards - it means that during the update I needed 10 gigs.
So - why not use sda5 instead? 19 gigs is more than enough and it will give you more room to experiment if you want to try out (ie install) a lot of different desktops

Actually, this partitioning setup is almost 2 years old. I remember doing it while installing Dapper Drake - to separate my root partition from my home one, and back then 5 gigs were more than enough. I am sticking to Gnome - may give xfce a try right now, just to get more juice out of my old machine. I am on Linux 99.9% of the time, and I do update my machine very regularly. I will install GParted and do some resizing if I figure out that I need more space. I truly appreciate your advice though.

@Andrwe and Future Pilot:
I will start the installer in a few minutes and see how it goes. I will just go through the beginners guide again and write down everything that I will need. Hopefully, everything will be fine. Thanks!

DavidR · 2009-09-18 18:15:19

It worked fine, I didn't lose a single byte in the process. I am sorry, but that beginner's guide made me panic with all the commands. I had the impression that I will have to type a command for every single step. It was interactive enough for me and I am loving my new system. It's just perfect. Thanks!

A Future Pilot · 2009-09-18 21:04:32

Glad to hear it went well!!! And you're quite welcome!!

Misfit138 · 2009-09-18 21:42:31

Glad you got it working. Please mark your thread solved, thanks.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-09-17 23:47:18

[Solved] Archlinux Installation: Manual hard disc setup, help needed.

#2 2009-09-18 02:21:19

Re: [Solved] Archlinux Installation: Manual hard disc setup, help needed.

#3 2009-09-18 02:23:26

Re: [Solved] Archlinux Installation: Manual hard disc setup, help needed.

#4 2009-09-18 02:34:29

Re: [Solved] Archlinux Installation: Manual hard disc setup, help needed.

#5 2009-09-18 03:19:55

Re: [Solved] Archlinux Installation: Manual hard disc setup, help needed.

#6 2009-09-18 07:57:21

Re: [Solved] Archlinux Installation: Manual hard disc setup, help needed.

#7 2009-09-18 18:15:19

Re: [Solved] Archlinux Installation: Manual hard disc setup, help needed.

#8 2009-09-18 21:04:32

Re: [Solved] Archlinux Installation: Manual hard disc setup, help needed.

#9 2009-09-18 21:42:31

Re: [Solved] Archlinux Installation: Manual hard disc setup, help needed.

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